President Murmu empowers Delhi L-G to form, appoint members to boards, panels in capital

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday delegated Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena the power to form and appoint members to any authority, board, commission, or statutory body under laws enacted by Parliament for the capital, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

In a gazette notification, the MHA stated,”In pursuance of clause (1) of Article 239 of the Constitution read with section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 (1 of 1992), the President hereby directs that the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, exercise the powers of the President under clause (a) of section 45D of the said Act for constitution of any authority, board, commission or any statutory body by whatever name it may be called, or for appointment of any Government officer or ex-officio member to such authority, board, commission or any statutory body.”

The new Presidential order is likely to trigger a fresh showdown between the lieutenant governor and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government in the capital. 

Last year, the President had given her assent to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023, which ruled that all transfers and postings of officers will now be done by the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA). This body will be chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with two senior Delhi government bureaucrats as members.

The authority was empowered to take decisions by majority and the final decision rests with the lieutenant governor. Opposing the act, Kejriwal had accused the Centre of trying to “arm twist” Delhi’s residents and snatch their votes.